West Virginia is used to the feds putting the cart before the horse in an attempt to cripple fossil fuel power plants before renewable options are — affordably — up and running. But elected officials such as Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., and Rep. Carol Miller, R-W.Va., continue to push back.

Once again, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is looking at new emissions regulations for power plants fueled by coal, natural gas and other fossil fuels. The EPA has proposed a rule through which the Clean Air Act would empower it to set federal standards for new and modified power plants, while states submit plans to the EPA for existing power plants based on federal guidelines.

None of that comes cheap. Capito and Miller will introduce legislation that would block the effort: the Protect Our Power Plants Act.

Remember, in West Virginia v. EPA, the majority of U.S. Supreme Court justices already agreed Congress did not grant the EPA authority to develop arbitrary emissions caps.

“The Environment Protection Agency has overstepped its role and is waging war on power plants across the United States,” Miller said. “The Biden Administration and Washington Democrats continue to shut down domestic energy production in the name of their Green New Deal agenda while the United States should be focused on maintaining its energy dominance. West Virginia will not stand for this spineless, and frankly, ridiculous rule.”

Meanwhile, one must wonder why the federal government has not considered offering the kinds of subsidies and credits that were given to solar and other renewables companies to traditional power companies that simply cannot afford the new emissions-reducing technology. Rather than trying to put those employers out of business, why not give them the means to implement a middle step that would reduce emissions and allow the companies to continue to support the families, communities and states depending on them?

With such technology in place, the federal government can work toward helping those employers speed the transition to renewable fuel sources for our energy.

Where is the logic in not doing the same to help employers (and states — particularly West Virginia and others in Appalachia) transition, as they are being asked to do? Level the playing field.